Science,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
386(6717), P. 55 - 60
Published: Oct. 3, 2024
Humans
have
been
driving
a
global
erosion
of
species
richness
for
millennia,
but
the
consequences
past
extinctions
other
dimensions
biodiversity-functional
and
phylogenetic
diversity-are
poorly
understood.
In
this
work,
we
show
that,
since
Late
Pleistocene,
extinction
610
bird
has
caused
disproportionate
loss
avian
functional
space
along
with
~3
billion
years
unique
evolutionary
history.
For
island
endemics,
proportional
losses
even
greater.
Projected
future
more
than
1000
over
next
two
centuries
will
incur
further
substantial
reductions
in
diversity.
These
results
highlight
severe
ongoing
biodiversity
crisis
urgent
need
to
identify
ecological
functions
being
lost
through
extinction.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
Journal Year:
2020,
Volume and Issue:
117(38), P. 23643 - 23651
Published: Sept. 3, 2020
The
ecological
niche
is
a
key
concept
for
elucidating
patterns
of
species
distributions
and
developing
strategies
conserving
biodiversity.
However,
recent
times
are
seeing
widespread
debate
whether
niches
conserved
across
space
time
(niche
conservatism
hypothesis).
Biological
invasions
represent
unique
opportunity
to
test
this
hypothesis
in
short
frame
at
the
global
scale.
We
synthesized
empirical
findings
434
invasive
from
86
studies
assess
conserve
their
climatic
between
native
introduced
ranges.
Although
was
rejected
most
studies,
highly
contrasting
conclusions
same
within
suggest
that
dichotomous
these
were
sensitive
techniques,
assessment
criteria,
or
author
preferences.
performed
consistent
quantitative
analysis
dynamics
reported
by
previous
studies.
Our
results
show
there
very
limited
expansion
ranges,
occupy
position
similar
environmental
space.
These
support
overall.
In
particular,
narrower
terrestrial
animals,
more
recently,
with
occurrences.
Niche
similarity
lower
aquatic
species,
only
intentionally
fewer
Climatic
not
increases
our
confidence
transferring
models
new
ranges
but
also
supports
use
forecasting
responses
changing
climates.
Functional Ecology,
Journal Year:
2021,
Volume and Issue:
35(9), P. 1869 - 1885
Published: July 16, 2021
Abstract
The
use
of
functional
diversity
analyses
in
ecology
has
grown
exponentially
over
the
past
two
decades,
broadening
our
understanding
biological
and
its
change
across
space
time.
Virtually
all
ecological
sub‐disciplines
recognise
critical
value
looking
at
species
communities
from
a
perspective,
this
led
to
proliferation
methods
for
estimating
contrasting
dimensions
diversity.
Differences
between
these
their
development
generated
terminological
inconsistencies
confusion
about
selection
most
appropriate
approach
addressing
any
particular
question,
hampering
potential
comparative
studies,
simulation
exercises
meta‐analyses.
Two
general
mathematical
frameworks
are
prevailing:
those
based
on
dissimilarity
matrices
(e.g.
Rao
entropy,
dendrograms)
relying
multidimensional
spaces,
constructed
as
either
convex
hulls
or
probabilistic
hypervolumes.
We
review
frameworks,
discuss
strengths
weaknesses
provide
an
overview
main
R
packages
performing
calculations.
In
parallel,
we
propose
way
organising
metrics
unified
scheme
quantify
richness,
divergence
regularity
individuals
under
each
framework.
This
offers
roadmap
confidently
approaching
both
theoretically
practically.
A
free
Plain
Language
Summary
can
be
found
within
Supporting
Information
article.
Ecography,
Journal Year:
2021,
Volume and Issue:
2022(1)
Published: Dec. 13, 2021
Functional
diversity
(FD),
the
of
organism
attributes
that
relates
to
their
interactions
with
abiotic
and
biotic
environment,
has
been
increasingly
used
for
last
two
decades
in
ecology,
biogeography
conservation.
Yet,
FD
many
facets
estimations
are
not
standardized
nor
embedded
a
single
tool.
mFD
(multifaceted
functional
diversity)
is
an
R
package
uses
matrices
species
assemblages
trait
values
as
building
blocks
compute
most
indices.
firstly
based
on
functions
allowing
user
summarize
assemblage
data.
Then
it
calculates
trait‐based
distances
between
pairs,
informs
whether
have
be
clustered
into
entities
finally
computes
multidimensional
space.
To
let
choose
appropriate
space
computing
indices,
allow
assessing
illustrating
quality
each
Next,
provides
6
core
calculate
16
existing
indices
distances,
or
position
The
also
graphical
ggplot
library
illustrate
through
customizable
high‐resolution
plots
distribution
among
All
include
internal
validation
processes
check
errors
data
formatting
which
return
detailed
error
messages.
facilitate
use
framework,
we
built
associated
website
hosting
five
tutorials
all
step
by
step.
Plant Ecology & Diversity,
Journal Year:
2019,
Volume and Issue:
12(3-4), P. 189 - 385
Published: May 4, 2019
Quaternary
(last
2.6
million
years)
botany
involves
studying
plant
megafossils
(e.g.
tree
stumps),
macrofossils
seeds,
leaves),
and
microfossils
pollen,
spores)
preserved
in
peat
bogs
lake
sediments.
Although
have
been
studied
since
the
late
eighteenth
century,
today
is
largely
dominated
by
pollen
analysis.Quaternary
analysis
just
over
100
years
old.
It
started
primarily
as
a
geological
tool
for
correlation,
relative
dating,
climate
reconstruction.
In
1950
major
advance
occurred
with
publication
Knut
Fægri
Johs
Iversen
of
their
Text-book
Modern
Pollen
Analysis
which
provided
foundations
botanical
ecological
past
dynamics
biota
biotic
systems.
The
development
radiocarbon
dating
1950s
freed
from
being
dating.
As
result
these
developments,
became
valuable
implement
long-term
ecology
biogeography.Selected
contributions
that
has
made
to
biogeography
are
reviewed.
They
fall
into
four
general
parts:
(1)
aspects
interglacial
glacial
stages
such
location
nature
glacial-stage
refugia
soil
glaciated
unglaciated
areas;
(2)
responses
environmental
change
(spreading,
extinction,
persistence,
adaptation);
(3)
topics
potential
niches,
vegetation,
forest
dynamics;
(4)
its
application
human
impact
tropical
systems,
conservation
changing
world,
island
palaeoecology,
plant–animal
interactions,
biodiversity
patterns
time.The
future
briefly
discussed
10
suggestions
presented
help
strengthen
it
links
biogeography.
much
contribute
when
used
conjunction
new
approaches
ancient-DNA,
molecular
biomarkers,
multi-proxy
palaeoecology.
Global Change Biology,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
29(16), P. 4569 - 4585
Published: March 7, 2023
Biodiversity
is
essential
for
maintaining
the
terrestrial
ecosystem
multifunctionality
(EMF).
Recent
studies
have
revealed
that
variations
in
functions
are
captured
by
three
key
axes:
maximum
productivity,
water
use
efficiency,
and
carbon
efficiency
of
ecosystem.
However,
role
biodiversity
supporting
these
axes
has
not
yet
been
explored.
In
this
study,
we
combined
(i)
data
collected
from
more
than
840
vegetation
plots
across
a
large
climatic
gradient
China
using
standard
protocols,
(ii)
on
plant
traits
phylogenetic
information
2,500
species,
(iii)
soil
nutrient
measured
each
plot.
These
were
used
to
systematically
assess
contribution
environmental
factors,
species
richness,
functional
diversity,
community-weighted
mean
(CWM)
(i.e.,
intensity
normalized
per
unit
land
area)
EMF
via
hierarchical
partitioning
Bayesian
structural
equation
modeling.
Multiple
attributes
accounted
70%
influence
all
variables
EMF,
ecosystems
with
high
diversity
had
resource
efficiency.
Our
study
first
explore
different
attributes,
including
CWM
traits,
functions.
findings
underscore
conservation
critical
sustaining
ultimately
ensuring
human
well-being.
Ecology Letters,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
28(2)
Published: Feb. 1, 2025
ABSTRACT
The
recent
acceleration
of
global
climate
warming
has
created
an
urgent
need
for
reliable
projections
species
distributions,
widely
used
by
natural
resource
managers.
Such
have
been
mainly
produced
distribution
models
with
little
information
on
their
performances
in
novel
climates.
Here,
we
hindcast
the
range
shifts
forest
tree
across
Europe
over
last
12,000
years
to
compare
reliability
three
different
types
models.
We
show
that
most
climatically
dissimilar
conditions,
process‐explicit
(PEMs)
tend
outperform
correlative
(CSDMs),
and
PEM
are
likely
be
more
than
those
made
CSDMs
end
21st
century.
These
results
demonstrate
first
time
often
promoted
albeit
so
far
untested
idea
explicit
description
mechanisms
confers
model
robustness,
highlight
a
new
avenue
increase
projection
future.
Methods in Ecology and Evolution,
Journal Year:
2020,
Volume and Issue:
11(8), P. 986 - 995
Published: May 29, 2020
Abstract
The
use
of
n
‐dimensional
hypervolumes
in
trait‐based
ecology
is
rapidly
increasing.
By
representing
the
functional
space
a
species
or
community
as
Hutchinsonian
niche,
abstract
Euclidean
defined
by
set
independent
axes
corresponding
to
individuals
traits,
these
multidimensional
techniques
show
great
potential
for
advance
theory.
In
panorama
existing
methods
delineating
spaces,
r
package
hypervolume
(
Global
Ecology
and
Biogeography
,
23,
2014,
595–609)
currently
most
used.
However,
functions
calculating
standard
diversity
(FD)
indices—richness,
divergence
regularity—have
not
been
developed
within
framework
yet.
This
gap
delaying
its
full
exploitation
ecology,
meanwhile
preventing
possibility
compare
performance
with
that
other
methods.
We
develop
calculate
FD
indices
based
on
hypervolumes,
including
alpha
(richness),
beta
(and
respective
components),
dispersion,
evenness,
contribution
originality.
Altogether,
provide
coherent
explore
primary
mathematical
components
setting.
These
new
can
work
either
objects
raw
data
(species
presence
abundance
their
traits)
input
data,
are
versatile
terms
parameters
options.
implemented
bat
(Biodiversity
Assessment
Tools),
an
biodiversity
assessments.
As
corpus
common
algorithm,
it
opens
fully
strengths
niche
concept
research.
Ecology Letters,
Journal Year:
2020,
Volume and Issue:
23(3), P. 555 - 564
Published: Jan. 15, 2020
Abstract
Correlational
ecological
niche
models
have
seen
intensive
use
and
exploration
as
a
means
of
estimating
the
limits
actual
potential
geographic
distributions
species,
yet
their
application
to
explaining
abundance
patterns
has
been
debated.
We
developed
detailed
test
this
latter
possibility
based
on
North
American
Breeding
Bird
Survey.
Correlations
between
abundances
niche‐centroid
distances
were
mostly
negative,
per
expectations
theory
abundant
niche‐centre
relationship.
The
negative
relationships
not
distributed
randomly
among
species:
terrestrial,
non‐migratory,
small‐bodied,
small‐niche‐breadth
restricted‐range
species
had
strongest
associations.
Distances
centroids
estimated
from
correlational
analyses
presence‐only
data
thus
offer
unique
by
which
infer
patterns,
otherwise
are
enormously
difficult
characterise.